Safe Food Program

What is our Safe Food Program?

Our Safe Food Program encourages food businesses to take a proactive approach to food safety. It aligns with the Food Act 1984 and Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. Businesses that demonstrate excellence in food safety and achieve a Five-Star Safe Food Rating are rewarded with financial and promotional benefits.

Food safety assessments

Our environmental health officers assess registered food businesses in two parts:

1. Food safety risk assessment

This process identifies and evaluates potential food safety risks by:

• identifying potential food safety risks based on the business’s food handling activities
• ensuring the business has effective measures in place to manage food safety
• verifying these measures through observation, scientific analysis, demonstration or questioning, or record reviews
• rating risks as critical, major or low, and assigning an overall risk rating to the business.

2. Food safety compliance assessment

This assessment checks if the business meets legal requirements. Items are marked as:

• compliant
• non-compliant
• not applicable (if the compliance item does not apply to the business).

Assessment results

Following a food safety assessment, the officer will provide a report detailing possible treatments to eliminate or effectively manage food safety risks to prevent illness, and items that require action to comply with food safety laws.

Five-Star Safe Food Rating

The results of the food safety assessment and the food premises classification determine if a food business achieves a Five-Star Safe Food Rating. To achieve, a food business must be a class 1 or a class 2 food business, and:

• have an overall risk rating of low
• have a food safety compliance score between 95 and 100 per cent
• have completed all recommendations from their previous assessment
• have a suitably trained food safety supervisor
• pass all food sampling tests within the previous 12 months
• have no justified complaints within the previous 12 months
• have no Council-imposed Food Act sanctions within the previous 12 months
• successfully complete Glen Eira’s food safety questionnaire.

Benefits of achieving a Five-Star Safe Food Rating

Businesses with a Five-Star Safe Food Rating enjoy:

• a Five-Star Food Safety Certificate to display
• a reduction of at least $100 in Council Food Act registration fees
• free publicity on Council’s website in the Safe Food Guide
• eligibility to compete for the Shop of the Year Award, the winner will be announced at Council’s annual Five-Star Safe Food Award

2024 Five-Star Safe Food Award winners

Shop of the Year

• Brew Bar — 103 Poath Road, Murrumbeena

Shop of the Year Runner Up

• Nostralis Wholemeal Pizza — 55 Hawthorn Road, Caulfield North

Highly commended businesses

• Bakery: Pastry Supreme Bakehouse — 83 Mackie Road, Bentleigh East
• Cafe: Brew Bar — 103 Poath Road, Murrumbeena
• Restaurant: Seven Stars Restaurant — 623 Centre Road, Bentleigh East
• Delicatessen: European Flavour Catering — 819 Glenhuntly Road, Caulfield
• Takeaway: Nostralis Wholemeal Pizza — 55 Hawthorn Road, Caulfield North
• Manufacturer: Charlie’s Cookies — 225 East Boundary Road, Bentleigh East
• Supermarket: Carnegie Metro — 11–29 Kokaribb Road, Carnegie
• School Canteen: Leibler Yavneh College — 2 Nagle Avenue, Elsternwick
• Club: Murrumbeena Park Bowling Club — 28 Gerald Street, Murrumbeena